🔒 How to Hide Affiliate Links Using a URL Shortener 🚀
Affiliate marketing success depends on trust, clicks, and conversions. But long, ugly affiliate links with tracking IDs can look spammy and discourage users from clicking.
✅ Solution? Hiding (or cloaking) affiliate links with a URL shortener makes them:
✔ More professional
✔ Easier to remember
✔ Trackable & customizable
✔ Less likely to get blocked by social media or ads
This guide will show how to hide affiliate links properly using the best URL shorteners and cloaking methods.
🏆 Why Should You Hide Affiliate Links?
✅ Cleaner & More Clickable URLs
❌ https://www.affiliateprogram.com/product?id=987654&ref=12345 (Ugly & suspicious)
✅ https://yoursite.com/deal (Short, clean & branded)
✅ Prevent Affiliate Commission Theft
Some users remove affiliate IDs from URLs before purchasing. Cloaking prevents this.
✅ Better Trust & Branding
Users are more likely to click links that look like they come from a trusted website.
✅ Avoid Ad Platform Bans
Facebook, Google, and Instagram often block direct affiliate links. Shorteners help you bypass restrictions.
🔗 Best URL Shorteners to Hide Affiliate Links
| 🛠 Tool | 🔥 Best For | 💡 Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Pretty Links | Amazon, ClickBank, CJ, ShareASale | Link cloaking, tracking, custom domains, WordPress integration |
| ThirstyAffiliates | Amazon, ClickBank, Rakuten | Advanced link cloaking, geo-targeting, WordPress plugin |
| Rebrandly | General affiliate links | Custom branded links, deep analytics, UTM tracking |
| Short.io | Facebook & Google Ads | Retargeting, detailed analytics, custom domains |
| Geniuslink | Amazon Associates | Geo-targeting, auto-localization, affiliate tracking |
| Bitly | Basic use | Simple link shortening, basic analytics |
| TinyURL Pro | Simple affiliate cloaking | Custom alias, no tracking limits |
🔥 How to Hide Affiliate Links with a URL Shortener (Step-by-Step)
1️⃣ Use Pretty Links (Best for WordPress Users)
Pretty Links is a powerful link cloaking plugin for WordPress.
✅ How to set up Pretty Links:
1️⃣ Install the Pretty Links plugin (Free or Pro).
2️⃣ Go to Pretty Links → Add New.
3️⃣ Enter your affiliate URL in the Target URL field.
4️⃣ Choose a custom short link (e.g., yoursite.com/deal).
5️⃣ Click Create – Done! 🎉
🔹 Bonus: Tracks clicks, allows automatic keyword linking, and supports retargeting pixels.
2️⃣ Cloak Affiliate Links with ThirstyAffiliates (Advanced WordPress Users)
If you use WordPress and need extra control over affiliate links, ThirstyAffiliates is the best choice.
✅ How to cloak with ThirstyAffiliates:
1️⃣ Install the ThirstyAffiliates plugin.
2️⃣ Go to ThirstyAffiliates → New Link.
3️⃣ Paste your affiliate link in the Destination URL field.
4️⃣ Choose a custom URL slug (e.g., yoursite.com/best-offer).
5️⃣ Enable Cloaking (optional but recommended).
6️⃣ Click Save Link.
🔹 Bonus: Includes geo-targeting, Amazon API integration, and auto-linking in blog posts.
3️⃣ Hide Affiliate Links Using Rebrandly (Best for Non-WordPress Users)
If you don’t have a WordPress site, Rebrandly is a great choice for branded short links.
✅ How to use Rebrandly for affiliate links:
1️⃣ Sign up for Rebrandly.com (Free plan available).
2️⃣ Click Create New Link.
3️⃣ Paste your affiliate link.
4️⃣ Select a custom domain (or use rebrand.ly/your-link).
5️⃣ Customize the slug (e.g., deals).
6️⃣ Click Create Link.
🔹 Bonus: Works on social media, YouTube, and email campaigns.
4️⃣ Hide Affiliate Links Using Short.io (Best for Retargeting & Ads)
Short.io allows affiliate link cloaking and retargeting pixel tracking for Facebook & Google Ads.
✅ How to hide links with Short.io:
1️⃣ Sign up on Short.io (Free & paid plans).
2️⃣ Connect your custom domain (optional).
3️⃣ Paste your affiliate link.
4️⃣ Create a short, trackable link.
5️⃣ Add Facebook/Google retargeting pixels (optional).
6️⃣ Click Save & Copy Link.
🔹 Bonus: Perfect for ads, tracking & email marketing.
🚨 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiding Affiliate Links
❌ Using URL Shorteners That Amazon Bans
👉 Amazon Affiliates should use "amzn.to" or Geniuslink to avoid policy violations.
❌ Not Tracking Clicks & Conversions
👉 Always monitor your links using Pretty Links, Rebrandly, or Bitly analytics.
❌ Over-Cloaking on Social Media
👉 Some networks (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) flag over-shortened links as spam. Use custom branded short links instead.
❌ Ignoring SEO & UTM Tracking
👉 If sharing links on blogs, use UTM tags to track affiliate performance in Google Analytics.
🎯 Final Thoughts: The Best Way to Hide Affiliate Links
🔹 If you're a WordPress user, Pretty Links or ThirstyAffiliates is the best choice.
🔹 If you want branded links for social media, go with Rebrandly or Short.io.
🔹 If you're an Amazon affiliate, use Geniuslink or amzn.to.
🔹 If you're running ads, use Short.io with retargeting pixels.
👉 Which link shortener do you use for your affiliate marketing? Let me know in the comments! 🚀